Dark Angel's Gutaifan Annexes Doncaster's Flying Childers

GUT VIBRATIONS
Gutaifan (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) improved off a first-up second, at Goodwood June 5, to register narrow verdicts at Salisbury June 14 and Chester July 10, and continued on the upgrade with a third straight slim-margin success in the July 26 G2 Prix Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte. The grey was put in his place by fellow Al Shaqab colorbearer Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the Aug. 23 G1 Prix Morny at Deauville last time, but faced nothing of that caliber here and enjoyed crowd confidence dropping down one panel for this straight dash. Handily placed just behind a solid pace in the second rank after getting slightly squeezed at the break, he was under a firm grip until stoked up to challenge inside the two pole and kept on in determined fashion under a tender drive in the closing stages to prevail in another close call, lowering the juvenile track record into the bargain. “They went very quick and when you look back at this horse's form, he only ever wins by a short distance and just does enough when he gets in front,” said trainer Richard Hannon. “He's a really nice, likeable, straightforward 2-year-old. He probably wants six furlongs now and we'll have to take next year as we find it. He bumped into a slightly useful horse on soft ground last time out [in the Prix Morny]. He might go to the [Sept. 26 G1] Middle Park S. next, but we'll have to sit down with Sheikh Fahad and see what he says. I see him as all speed at the moment, but he's the kind of horse who could easily change as he's straightforward, doesn't pull and does whatever you ask of him. He's won two Group 2s now so he's an outstanding 2-year-old.” Connections of the runner-up were delighted with his performance coming back from a fourth in the Aug. 22 Listed Roses S. at York, with trainer's wife Maureen Haggas commenting, “Ornate has run a fantastic race and has put his last run [in the Aug. 22 Listed Roses S.] at York behind him. He didn't like the ground that day and he was much better on this quicker ground. I kept thinking he was going to get to the winner, but [jockey] Pat [Cosgrave] said that Gutaifan was holding him all the way to the line. The winner is very tough, he has had a lot of racing and is battle-hardened. This is all solid form, but this is a horse for next year as well. He has plenty of scope and may have one more run this year.”

Friday, Doncaster, Britain
FLY AER LINGUS FROM DONCASTER SHEFFIELD FLYING CHILDERS S.-G2, £70,000, DON, 9-11, 2yo, 5fT, :58.04 (NTR), gd.
1–GUTAIFAN (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Alikhlas (GB), by Lahib
2nd Dam: Mathaayl, by Shadeed
3rd Dam: Manal (Fr), by Luthier (Fr)
(€75,000 Wlg '13 GOFNOV). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Eimear Mulhern & Abbeville Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Frankie Dettori. £39,697. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Fr, 6-4-2-0, $270,314. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ornate (GB), 127, c, 2, Bahamian Bounty (GB)–Adorn (GB), by Kyllachy (GB). O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-William Haggas. £15,050.
3–Log Out Island (Ire), 127, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–White Daffodil (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB). (£95,000 Ylg '14 DNPRM). O-Godolphin; B-Yeomanstown Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £7,532.
Margins: HD, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.75, 6.50, 11.00.
Also Ran: Bear Cheek (Ire), Kurland (Ire), Independence Day (Ire), Shadow Hunter (Ire), Areen (Ire), Love On The Rocks (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.